Dennis Donohue and Dr. Jeana Cadby from the Western Growers Association, a leading Californian produce-growing conglomerate, are exploring New Zealand's agritech sector, aiming to fortify collaboration in sustainable crop treatment practices. Western Growers, which fulfills 40-50% of the US's produce requirements, has been allied with New Zealand's agritech initiatives for over seven years, a partnership initiated by a memorandum of understanding signed by Peter Wren-Hilton of AgriTech NZ. This collaboration has since evolved into Platform 10, a venture designed to fast-track biopesticide firms and their market entry, a critical move as the European Union plans to prohibit nearly half of the current pesticides by 2030.
Wren-Hilton highlighted New Zealand's progressive stance with the Lighter Touch programme, a $27 million project co-funded by the government and industry, focusing on sustainable pest management and environmental preservation. The urgency for adopting biopesticides is underscored by the impending regulatory changes and the need for global field trials to ensure continuity in testing and approval processes. California's recent pest management roadmap, emphasizing softer crop treatments, aligns with these goals, particularly in combating pervasive pests like thrips, which recently caused significant losses in the lettuce industry.
Source: farmersweekly.co.nz